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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23354467">One and the Same</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/trashm0uth/pseuds/trashm0uth'>trashm0uth</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>IT - Stephen King</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abusive Parents, Bad Parents Maggie Tozier &amp; Wentworth Tozier, Beverly Marsh &amp; Richie Tozier Are Best Friends, Child Abuse, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Incest, M/M, Self-Harm, Sexual Abuse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 10:15:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Rape/Non-Con, Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>874</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23354467</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/trashm0uth/pseuds/trashm0uth</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>I guess just a really angsty one shot with some fluff.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>73</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>One and the Same</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/12991854">always knew there was a war out there</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayfieldsmayhem/pseuds/mayfieldsmayhem">mayfieldsmayhem</a>.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hiiiii I am literally dead inside so this is what I made. And I think we need more Bev and Richie friendships. Also I’m so sorry if this is inaccurate to assault, and I’m not in any way trying to use romance as a way to minimize the effects of rape/sexual assault. I just wanted to show that life CAN get better, despite everything changing for the worst. PS this was inspired by the work “always knew there was a war out there” on this website by mayfieldsmayhem.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the first grade, Beverly shared classes with a boy named Richie Tozier. Beverly never talked to boys. Her father had told her not to. Her father told her if he ever caught her speaking to a boy in his house, or anywhere he could see, he would teach her a lesson she would never forget.</p><p>      Not that he hadn’t already done that.</p><p>      But she could not get away from Richie. Richie followed her everywhere, demanding to know her name. Finally, she caved, and when she did, Richie happily stuck his hand out and said “Pleasure to meet ya! I’m Richie!”</p><p>      And the whole year they were attached at the hip. They couldn’t be separated. And one day, Bev showed up at Richie’s window, nothing except a tank top and some underwear on. Richie let her in and gave her clothes, cleaned her up a bit, and asked what happened. He reassured her that she didn’t have to tell him, but she did anyway. She told him how her dad had barged into her room and tried to do unspeakable things, but she ran, sick of that same charade that she’d been living through all these years. Richie just nodded as she spoke, and when she finished, he gave her a warm smile, telling her everything was gonna be okay.</p><p>      He told her that he knew exactly what that felt like.</p><p>      Bev didn’t really get what he meant just yet.</p><p> </p><p>      In the fourth grade, Richie didn’t arrive at school until lunchtime. And when he got there, he was bloodied and battered like an overripe fruit. Bev knew what that was like, but she had never been beaten up that bad.</p><p>      She used to get punished in other ways, before her aunt stepped in. </p><p> </p><p>      In the sixth grade, Bev started noticing things about Richie. Like the way he kept sleeping in class and wouldn’t wake up when he was shaken. Like the way he wore bandages on his arms during any day where he couldn’t wear long sleeves. Like the way he flinched at any sudden touch. Like the way he couldn’t run in gym class, so he would opt to be on the defensive side. Like the way he would leave traces of blood on his seat sometimes when he stood up. Like the way he would occasionally vomit after seeing his father stand outside the school.</p><p>      Beverly was starting to get worried. But, she never approached him about it.</p><p> </p><p>      In the seventh grade, Richie was called down to the office. And at lunchtime, he returned with the most shaken expression Bev had ever seen. She asked him what happened, along with some prodding of the other losers, and he simply said that he was getting an unknown punishment later.</p><p>      Bev’s stomach churned at those words.</p><p> </p><p>      In the eighth grade, Richie didn’t show up to school for two days. Bev decided to check up on him. When she did, she snuck through his window to find him lying on the floor in a bloody blanket. When Bev moved the blanket to see him in only a pair of bloodied boxers, she knew exactly what was going on. Bev carried him outside and away from his house. When he came to, Bev told him that she knew how he felt and that he could come talk to her whenever he needed. And if he ever wanted to tell someone, she’d help. </p><p>      Richie nodded in dazed silence, not questioning nor understanding what was going on. </p><p> </p><p>      In the ninth grade, Bev heard someone knock lightly at her window. It was almost pitch black outside, aside from Richie’s tear stained face illuminated by the porch light. Bev let him in. Richie told her that his father had hit him, beat him, and raped him while his mother was passed out on the couch. He said this wasn’t the first time, but it definitely wasn’t gonna be the last. He just wanted her to know that, since she was his best friend. She hugged him tightly and reassured him that she was there for him. He asked her if she could tell him something else. She nodded. Richie simply stated two words:</p><p>      “I’m gay.”</p><p> </p><p>      In the tenth grade, Richie asked Eddie Kaspbrak out. Eddie eagerly agreed. That same week, Ben Hanscom asked Bev to date him. She agreed, hesitant at first, but soon she decided that he would never hurt her, intentionally at least. </p><p>      The double dates that followed, or rather, the dates between Stan and Bill and Bev and Ben and Richie and Eddie that we’re being supervised and paid for (willingly) by Mike, were the best times of Bev and Richie’s lives.</p><p> </p><p>      In the twelfth grade, Richie asked Eddie to prom (with the help of Mike Hanlon) and Eddie agreed, once again, eagerly. Ben got help from Stan and Bill to ask Bev out to prom. And guess what? She said yes. </p><p>      After a great night of dancing and irritating Stan and Bill, Richie approached Bev and said, “I think I’m going to tell someone. About, you know. Like, after the year has ended. And I was wondering if you’d come with me? It would make this shit a lot easier.” Bev smiled warmly. “Of course, Trashmouth.”</p>
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